Last Updated on December 30, 2024
Los Cabos in Baja California, Mexico is known for its stunning scenery and breathtaking views. Dining is also a delightful experience with chefs creating mouthwatering dishes celebrating the bounty of the land and sea. Visitors can find everything from casual beachfront fare to high-end fine dining.
Each time my husband and I visit Cabo, we look for a new restaurant meeting our desire for at least one romantic dining experience. The criteria? A combination of view, setting, lighting, ambience, and the right music along with the obvious: outstanding food and service.
These are our favorites.
Sunset Mona Lisa
This was our first romantic dining experience when we initially visited Cabo 13 years ago and it still holds the same magic today. Literally carved into a cliff overlooking the azure waters of Cabo San Lucas and an unending stretch of beach with breathtaking views of Cabo’s famous arch (El Arco) at Land’s End, Sunset Mona Lisa indulges all the senses.
Linen covered tables are strategically set on Mediterranean-style terraced levels between rock outcroppings overlooking the Sea of Cortez. Muted lighting and candle-lit walkways provide an ambience of serenity as soft Italian music plays in the background.
Sunsets here are spectacular, and the Italian-inspired cuisine is amazing, especially the Branzino (sea bass).
TORO Latin Kitchen
In a cosmopolitan desert setting, TORO Latin Kitchen, a Chef Richard Sandoval restaurant, offers Latin-inspired cuisine with both impressive indoor and outdoor settings.
We love the patio dining with its muted lighting, firepits and a lovely fountain with whales – ideal given that Toro is located in Punta Ballena (Whale Point). Though the restaurant doesn’t offer a water view, what it does offer is a sexy setting with outstanding food and wait staff and a romantic ambience.
Ceviche and sushi selections are impressive. Chicken Cusco style (a Peruvian dish) with a Creole sauce was delightful as was the chef special, sea bass tacos wrapped in gourmet Mexican cheese.
Romeo & Julieta
Located in the heart of downtown Cabo San Lucas, Romeo & Julieta has consistently remained one of our family’s favorite Italian restaurants.
Though you’re in a busy downtown district, the minute you step inside the restaurant, you’ll feel transported to Italy because of the restaurant’s décor, paintings, fountains, and exceptional service making you feel like part of the “familia.”
Typical for Italian restaurants, the menu is divided between antipasti, primi, secondi, pizza and dessert offerings. What to order? Anything your heart desires, as it’s all bene!
Manta
The signature restaurant at The Cape, a Thompson Hotel in Los Cabos, Manta has a double meaning to its name – the manta ray symbolizing the kitchen’s focus on the freshest seafood while manta, also the Spanish name for canvas, represents freedom of artistic expression. The restaurant celebrates Mexico’s Pacific Coast and its local and sustainable Baja ingredients while taking additional inspiration from Peru, Japan and beyond.
Unobstructed ocean vantage points at Monuments Beach are impressive and the restaurant’s atmosphere is sophisticated yet relaxed. Sunsets are glorious and the cuisine is creative, eclectic and changes with the availability from the land and sea.
El Farallon
Oh, the unforgettable dining experience we’ve had at this restaurant. It will ruin your budget, but you have to do it, at least once, as you’ll talk about it for years.
Located at the Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal, El Farallon (which means the outcropping), this picture-postcard cliffside dining at the edge of the world features the wild waves of the Pacific Ocean crashing below. Getting there is half the fun, driving through a tunnel, then escorted via a lighted stone and mountainous path to the restaurant.
Guests can choose from a menu board which changes daily due to the bounty brought in from local fishermen. To guarantee your table sits directly on the ocean’s edge, the Baja Bounty Experience offers a multi-course meal that’s an absolute treat.
Hacienda Cocina y Cantina
Located at Hacienda Beach Club & Residences at Medano Beach, this charming restaurant with a thatched-roof bar and waterfront seating is inspired by the luxurious style of a Mexican Hacienda with stunning views of Land’s End and the Sea of Cortez Bay.
Evening dining here is memorable with candlelit tables and poolside lights, and then there are those awe-inspiring sunsets that make a date night here even more special.
Our favorite entrée is the shared Molcajete. The mix of vegetables, Mexican cheese and variety of meats served in a flaming hot pot is plenty for two to share.
Traditional Mexican architecture and authentic local flavors merges with a casual, lovely beachfront setting. Of all Los Cabos romantic restaurants, we consider this one to be the most authentic Baja.
Cocina del Mar
This amazing venue perched atop striking cliffs overlooking Esperanza Resort’s two private beaches is picturesque and romantic for a special dinner. Sunsets are incredible, and afterward the rhythm of the crashing waves and glow of lantern lighting makes for a magical evening.
“USA Today” has rated Cocina del Mar the best restaurant in Cabo for five years in a row. Considering the setting, the pinnacle customer service, and the creative presentation of fresh seafood and other peninsula treasures, it’s understandable why.
LaFrida Restaurant
Located at Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach resort on the sun-kissed shores of Los Cabos, LaFrida (named after famous Mexican painter Frida Kahlo) offers a luxurious dining experience with a sophisticated ambience surrounded by artistic expression.
The Mexican cuisine has a modern twist and the restaurant features panoramic ocean views, creating a perfect backdrop for a romantic evening with soft piano music, a wonderfully-added feature.
Menu items are definitely on the pricy side, however, with exceptional cuisine, impressive presentation, and service, LaFrida is definitely worth a date night. Our favorites here are the Beef Wellington and rack of lamb.
